The full explanation
Federal and state laws limit how much can be taken, so you have something left to live on, and banks must protect a certain amount of directly deposited federal benefits, such as Social Security. Some government agencies, such as the IRS, can sometimes garnish without a court order, and states can garnish to collect child support.
An example
Mario was sued over a credit card and did not respond. The court entered a judgment against him and the creditor got an order to garnish his wages. Mario looks on LawHelp.org for how to claim his state's protections.
You will see it in…
- A court order after a judgment on a debt
- Your pay stub, as a garnishment deduction
- A notice from your bank that it froze or garnished money in your account
